Berlino - Mascot Development

A world-class event must entertain and engage the fans beyond the actual sporting event. Berlino, the official mascot of the 2009 IAAF World Championships, was developed by Infront and surpassed all expectations.

An immersive and holistic approach

Infront was challenged to create a mascot who was athletic and friendly, becoming the face of the 2-week Championships. Taking a holistic approach to mascot design - from brainstorming and researching public opinion, to design/branding, implementation, operation and merchandising - Infront’s Creative Services team fully immerses themselves into the event, the sport and the culture to truly understand the client objectives and fan expectations. After several revisions and intense research, Berlino the Bear was born.

Perfect embodiment of the event

More than just a mascot, Berlino rose to become the unexpected “star” of the Championships, notorious for his enthusiasm and celebrations with the gold medal-winning athletes. Designed, developed and implemented by Infront, Berlino surpassed typical mascot status and truly became a personification of the event. During the Championships, he was seen everywhere around Berlin, participating in interviews and engaging with fans and athletes alike - with even legend Usain Bolt wearing a Berlino T-shirt and referring to Berlino as his friend.

Achievements

Berlino’s appeal extended to the media, and he was named “the best mascot of the year,” by the UK’s The Guardian

Smaller versions of Berlino were created in the form of key rings and teddy bears, the latter of which became a bestseller and sold out before the end of the games

YouTube videos of Berlino celebrating with athletes exceeded 400,000 views during the competitions

Berlino reached “celebrity” status, just as popular and in demand by fans and media as the athletes themselves